It started Friday (Sept. 24) with a tweet from West Virginia University’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Associate Vice President Shane Lyons. “We have a very special moment planned during the ‪@WVUMarchingBand‬ pregame show Saturday! Be in your seats by 2:40 p.m. so you don’t miss it!”

That special moment was a surprise performance by country music superstar Brad Paisley.

Paisley, a self-proclaimed Mountaineer fan, walked onto the field Saturday (Sept. 26) just after The Pride of West Virginia Mountaineer Marching Band finished its traditional pregame show.

The sold-out crowd of 61,174 gold-clad fans was there to watch a border-battle between the Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins, but they erupted into cheers when they spotted Paisley who was wearing a WVU football jersey and his trademark cowboy hat and guitar.

The Glen Dale, West Virginia, native made his way to a stool near center field. Band members, who had formed the outline of the Mountain State, surrounded Paisley. They dropped to bended knee just before Paisley spoke into the microphone. “Everybody ready?” he asked.

Then the music began, and from the first words, the crowd inside Milan Puskar Stadium sang along. A chorus of Country Roads, Take Me Home filled the air and didn’t stop until the final note faded away.

Once Paisley finished singing, he stood up and waved to the crowd. But before he walked off the field he leaned back in to the mic and shouted, “Let’s go!” Fans answered with a resounding “Mountaineers!”

Later, Paisley posted his own tweet. “Take me home?”

Watch the full performance on Countdown to CMA Awards: Country’s Greatest Crossover Hits with Robin Roberts on ABC – Monday, Nov. 2 at 10 p.m. ET.

-WVU-

ak/09/26/2015

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